Laparoscopic surgical device

Abstract

A laparoscopic surgical device comprising a pair of jaws ( 115, 116 ) defining a mouth within which at least a portion of an organ or tissue may be grasped is described. The jaws are biased towards one another so as to normally adopt a closed configuration, the device being dimensioned to be operably passed fully through a trocar into the abdominal cavity wherein it may be manipulated by a surgeon or other operator to grasp the desired target organ or tissue.

1 . A laparoscopic surgical device comprising a body coupled to a head, the head comprising a pair of jaws defining a mouth within which at least a portion of an organ or tissue may be grasped, the device being dimensioned to be operably passed fully through a trocar into an abdominal cavity wherein it may be manipulated by a surgeon or other operator to grasp a desired target organ or tissue, the device further comprising an actuator coupled to at least one of the first and second jaws, operable application of a force onto the actuator effecting a movement of the actuator within the device providing a corresponding opening of the mouth of the device through a translation of linear motion of the actuator to a rotational motion of the jaws relative to one another. 
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1  comprising a spring or other biasing means configured to provide an operable biasing of the jaws towards one another, the jaws being biased towards one another so as to normally adopt a closed configuration. 
     
     
         3 . The device as claimed in  claim 1  configured such that operably on grasping at least a portion of the organ or tissue within the mouth of the device, the jaws are naturally biased towards one another so as to retain the portion of the organ or tissue, until application of a second force action on the actuator to effect an opening of the jaw, such that movement of the device will effect a corresponding movement of the retained organ. 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the actuator is moveable in a direction substantially transverse to the direction of opening of the jaws. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the actuator is moveable in a direction substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the device. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the actuator comprises a moveable member which is coupled via interlocking teeth provided on each of the moveable member and one of the first and second jaws. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7  wherein operably movement of the actuator in a linear fashion effects, through the gearing provided by the interlocking teeth a rotational movement of the first jaw away from the second jaw to provide for an opening of the mouth. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8  wherein the first jaw is pivotable about a pivot point which in combination with interplay between the interlocking teeth controls the rotational movement of the jaws. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 7  wherein the moveable member comprises first and second apertures, the device further comprising first and second pins engageable with the first and second apertures, wherein the length of the apertures define the maximum distance of travel of the moveable member. 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 7  wherein the moveable member is co-operable with an actuator handle, rotation of the actuator handle relative to a pivot point effecting, through an interplay between the handle and the moveable member, a translation of rotation motion into the linear motion of the moveable member. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12  wherein the curved end surface is provided at an opposing end of the moveable member to the interlocking teeth. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 12  wherein the combination of the handle, moveable member and teeth provided on each of the moveable member and the jaw provide a translation between a rotational driving force to a linear actuating force to a rotational opening of the jaws. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the first jaw comprises teeth which are mateable with flat or planar surfaces on the opposing jaw. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 7  wherein the moveable member comprises a curved surface which is co-operable with a handle surface, movement of the handle through an arc effecting a corresponding movement of and determines the length of movement of the moveable member. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 16  wherein the moveable member defines a nipple projecting substantially perpendicularly to the direction of movement of the moveable member. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 17  wherein the nipple comprises first and second curved surfaces which meet at a mid-point of the nipple such that movement of an end portion of the handle downwardly about a pin effects a corresponding movement of an abutment surface along the nipple to effect the linear motion of the moveable member towards the mouth region of the grasper device. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 7  wherein the moveable member comprises a coupling surface for use with an external driver, such that on operable engagement of the driver with the coupling surface, a driving force applied by the driver is useable to effect a sliding or linear motion of the moveable member within the device, that sliding being translated by the inter-engagement of the teeth of each of the moveable member and the first jaw to a movement of the jaws relative to one another. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 19  wherein the coupling surface comprises a pin which is co-operable with a hook of an external driver, on engagement of the driver with the coupling surface the driver is moveable within a shaft of the actuator. 
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the jaws is pivotable about a pivot point relative to the other of the jaws to allow for movement of the jaws away from one another to facilitate the presentation of an organ into the mouth of the device. 
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 21  wherein at least a portion of the actuator defines a contact surface for allowing provision of an external force so as to effect a separation of the jaws away from one another, the device further comprising a channel defined in an upper surface of the body portion to provide access to the contact surface. 
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 21  comprising a pivot pin located at the pivot point and coupling the jaws to one another. 
     
     
         24 . The device of  claim 23  wherein the device comprises a longitudinal axis, the pin being mounted so as to be substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         25 . The device of  claim 23  wherein the pivot pin provides a fulcrum such that application of a force to a first side of the pin effects a corresponding movement of the jaws on a second opposing side of the pin. 
     
     
         26 . The device of  claim 25  configured such that application of a force to a first side of the fulcrum effects a movement of that first jaw away from the second jaw. 
     
     
         27 . The device of  claim 25  configured such that application of a force to a first side of the fulcrum effects application of a force to each of the first and second jaws such that the separation of the jaws from one another is effected by a relative movement of each of the first and second jaws. 
     
     
         28 . The device of  claim 23  comprising a spring located between the pivot pin and the mouth of the device. 
     
     
         29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . The device of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the jaws comprises teeth. 
     
     
         31 .- 32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . The device of  claim 30  wherein each of the first and second jaws comprise teeth and the teeth of the first and second jaws are configured such that on bringing the first and second jaws towards one another, the teeth of the first jaw will inter-engage with the teeth of the second jaw so as to allow a complete closing of the mouth of the device. 
     
     
         34 .- 35 . (canceled) 
     
     
         36 . The device of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the jaws comprises a tapered lead-in portion, tapering from a distal portion of the jaws inwardly towards the mouth such that, in a closed orientation, the jaws are separated from one another at the lead-in portion. 
     
     
         37 .- 38 . (canceled) 
     
     
         39 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the body portion is coupled to or integrally formed with at least one of the jaws. 
     
     
         40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . The device of  claim 39  wherein the body portion provides a coupling contact for effecting a securing of the device at a desired position within the abdominal cavity. 
     
     
         42 .- 43 . (canceled) 
     
     
         44 . The device of  claim 1  comprising a plurality of coupling surfaces spaced apart along the body portion and wherein the coupling surfaces are provided as a plurality of individual coupling ports extending through the body portion. 
     
     
         45 .- 48 . (canceled) 
     
     
         49 . The device of  claim 39  wherein the body is configured to be moveable relative to the jaws of the device. 
     
     
         50 .- 61 . (canceled) 
     
     
         62 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the body portion is segmented to comprise a head proximal body portion and a head distal body portion, the head proximal portion being adjacent to the jaws of the device and the head proximal body portion and head distal body portion of the body portion are moveable relative to one another. 
     
     
         63 .- 64 . (canceled) 
     
     
         65 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the body portion comprises a deployable needle or clamp so as to allow a fixing of the device to an inner abdominal wall or other desired feature. 
     
     
         66 .- 77 . (canceled) 
     
     
         78 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the first and second jaws are coupled to one another and each are moveable relative to the other to adopt the open position, the device further comprising a linkage between the actuator and each of the first and second jaws. 
     
     
         79 .- 103 . (canceled) 
     
     
         104 . A coupling tool for use with a device as claimed  claim 1 , the tool comprising:
 a. a needle portion for operably passing through an abdominal wall from an exterior portion of a body to an interior portion of the body;   b. a contact surface for operably resting against an exterior portion of the body, and   wherein operably the tool is configured to engage with and maintain the device in a predetermined position within the abdominal cavity.   
     
     
         105 . The tool of  claim 104  wherein the needle portion is configured to engage with the device, operable inter-engagement of the needle portion with the device effecting a securing of the device against the exterior portion of the body through contact of the contact surface against the body. 
     
     
         106 . The tool of  claim 104  wherein the contact surface is textured and/or provided with an adhesive to improve retention of the tool against the body. 
     
     
         107 . The tool of  claim 104  wherein a tip region of the needle comprises one or more blades. 
     
     
         108 .- 115 . (canceled) 
     
     
         116 . A method of moving an organ or tissue within an abdominal cavity during laparoscopic surgery, the method comprising:
 providing a device as claimed in  claim 1 ;   disposing that device through a trocar or cannula into the abdominal cavity;   biasing the jaws open to receive the organ or tissue and then removing the biasing force such that the jaws grasp the organ or tissue within the mouth of the device;   moving the device to effect a corresponding movement of the grasped organ or tissue;   anchoring the device to maintain the attained position.   completing the required surgery;   releasing the device; and   removing the device from the abdominal cavity through a trocar or cannula.